The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
999 Challenge Category: The Lost Book Club
Fyodor Pavlovich has three sons: Dmitri (Mitya) Fyodorovich, Ivan Fyodorovich, and Alexei (Alyosha) Fyodorovich. Each have been affected by their father's "sensualist" nature - dear daddy is a drunkard and carouser, and pretty much left the boys' upbringing to the servant, Grigory. Now adults, Dmitri similarly follows his father in lifestyle and currently has an argument with him regarding his mother's inheritance, Ivan the intellectual has rejected the idea of God and figures he can do whatever he wants, and Alyosha is training in a monastery. Soon events unfold that will affect the brothers for the rest of their lives.
This story is incredibly hard to sum up. A lot goes on, and much of the action of the plot occurs in the second half of the book. It definitely had its dull moments; to be quite honest, I may have given up during Book 5 if it weren't for a group read and the fact that the book was referenced on Lost. Once I made it through the tougher parts, however, I found it a compelling study of people driven by guilt, suffering, and more virtuous motives. I'm glad I pushed through the slower chapters and finished it. 4 stars.
2 comments:
Good for you for finishing! I really enjoyed this book when I read it, but it's been several years.
Thanks, I felt rather accomplished afterward. :-) Though I don't think I'd read it again, I did like it in the end, and I'm glad I read it.
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